Mandible (L. jaw)

Body

External surface

Mental protuberance (L. chin)

Mental foramen

function - transmits the mental nerve, artery, and vein

Base

Digastric fossa (G. di-, two + gaster, belly)

attachments - anterior digastric muscle

Alveolar part (L. alveus, trough, hollow sac, cavity)

function - houses roots of teeth

Internal surface

Mylohyoid line (G. myle, a mill, molar teeth)

attachments - mylohyoid muscle

Submandibular fossa

function - houses the submandibular gland

Sublingual fossa (L. tongue)

function - houses the sublingual gland

Superior genial tubercle (superior mental spine) (G. geneion, chin)

attachment - genioglossus muscle

Inferior genial tubercle (inferior mental spine)

attachment - geniohyoid muscle

Mylohyoid groove

function - houses mylohyoid nerve

Ramus

Angle

attachments - masseter and medial pterygoid muscles

Medial surface

Mandibular foramen

function - transmits the inferior alveolar nerve, artery, and vein

Mandibular canal (follow the nerve superiorly in the cross sections to the mandibular foramen)

function - houses the inferior alveolar nerve, artery, and vein

Lingula

attachments - sphenomandibular ligament

Mylohyoid groove

function - houses mylohyoid nerve

Anterior border

Oblique line

Retromolar fossa

Coronoid process (G. korone, hooked or curved)

attachments - temporalis muscle

Temporal crest

attachments - temporalis muscle

Mandibular (sigmoid) notch

function - transmits the nerve and artery to the masseter muscle

Condylar process (G. kondylos, knuckle)

Head of mandible

Neck of mandible

Pterygoid fovea (G. pteron, wing)

attachments - lateral pterygoid muscle

Mandible (L. jaw)

Overview